Snoring is caused by the relaxation of body tissue in the lingual compartment, the tissue including the tongue, the pharyngeal folds, the soft palate, the muscularis uvulae and the palate-pharyngeal arch. During normal waking hours, muscle tone in most individuals unconsciously maintains the above structures in adequate spacial relationships so as not to interfere with the free passage of air therepast. However, with increasing age, and during periods of unconsciousness, some muscle tone is lost, thereby allowing one or more of the tongue, the pharyngeal folds, the soft palate, the uvulae and the posterior pharyngeal wall to vibrate as tidal air flows therepast.
While the act of snoring is socially discomfitting to other persons who hear the snores, and especially annoying to a spouse attempting to sleep, it can also cause harmful complications to the snorer, such as disturbed rest, excessive drying of the oro- and naso-pharyngeal mucous membranes with consequent injury to the throat, middle and inner ear, susceptibility to infection, vertigo and impaired hearing. Of equal importance is the fact that people who snore are not making use of the physiologically beneficial aspects of nasal breathing. The anatomical nasal structures (such as the turbinates, mucous membranes, etc.) provide moistening and cleansing functions during sleep.
Prior patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,132,647, have dealt with the various lingual compartment tissues and their relationship to the snoring phenomenon. Such patients disclose that snoring should and can be reduced, if not altogether prevented, by providing for unobstructed air flow between the tongue and the soft palate. U.S. Pat. No. 3,132,647 seeks to keep the passage open by engaging and depressing the rear portion of the tongue while supporting a portion of the downwardly-hanging soft palate. Oral breathing is permitted, and no attempt is made to prevent vibration of the forward end of the tongue.
Other patented devices have been proposed as "snore-preventing" such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,774,446 and 3,434,470, and British Pat. No. 1,248,474. All such prior proposals have been constructed to permit, or at least allow, the partial inhalation of air orally to insure that oral breathing occurred.
While U.S. Pat. No. 2,867,212 recognizes that snoring is caused by vibrations of the soft palate and uvula and could be prevented if oral breathing is prevented, the mouthpiece described in said patent is intended to serve as an aid for practice of nasal breathing by blocking the oral flow of air. No attempt is made in said device to open the naso-pharynx, thus presenting a troublesome situation for users whose muscle tone is such as to partially close the nasal passageway.
British Pat. No. 751,381 includes a device to be held within the mouth of a user, said device having a central open bore provided for continuous passage of air.
It is one object of the present invention to provide an anti-snore device which serves to receive and hold the forward portion of the tongue in a forward position, thereby drawing the remainder of the tongue forwardly and in such a way that no portion of the tongue, or other oral soft tissue, will vibrate during breathing.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an anti-snore device which not only holds the forward portion of the tongue forwardly but also prevents oral breathing by obstructing the flow of air through the mouth.
It is another object of this invention to provide an anti-snore device which not only prevents oral breathing, but also, opens the internal air passageway for nasal breathing through the naso-pharynx.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an anti-snore device which prevents oral breathing by obstructing the flow of air through the mouth, holds the tongue forwardly so as to prevent soft tissue vibration, and opens the air passageway for nasal breathing.
And still another object of this invention is to provide a novel combination anti-snore and anti-bruxism device.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention.